Automatic train-pipe connector.



1'.' v. nomsow. l AUTOMATIC TRAIN' me conwecom ANLICATION FILED MAR. Il, |9l4 RENEWED SEPT. I3 l9jl7f f ramnmNQv; 6,1917.

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AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Mareh'll, 1914, Serial No. 823,971. Renewed September 13, 1917. Serial No. 191,309.

l'o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH V. ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Branford, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Train-Pipe Connectors, of which the following is a specification. i

The present invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipe connectors and has for its object to provide an improved support for the Connector head which will permit shifting of the head in planes parallelvto :its face and thereby eliminate leaks by minimizing the cause of coupled connector heads opening up orrocking onevupon the other in rounding curves, etc., in service.

The invention consists in the'eombination,

. arrangements. andv constructions hereinafter described, pointed out in the appended Figure 1 is a '.sidetelevation of my.im-

proved support showing someof the parts in section.

Fig. 2 is an mterrorview of one of the base members.

Fig. 3 is a rear vieW of the connector head showing the method of locking the supporting spring thereto, and

Fig, is a front face View of the base.

Any suitable type of coupling head A may Y be used with my improved support and any desired form-of guidingprongs 5 for alining mating heads on curves, etc., may be employed. outline, as viewed from the front, and having the guiding prongs spaced diagonally upon its face, and having also a laterally extending fluid conduit 6. Upon the rear face' of the head and at the rear of said conduit I provide diametrically disposedportions 7 and 8 having on their inner face a transverse recess or seat 9. Beneath these portions andin said recess or seat, I-mount the apex end of a conical spiral supporting spring B, which spring is coiled of agradu- :illy tapering bar and constitutes the sole means of supporting theA coupling head A. The spring resists movement of the head with a varying force increasing in greater` progression than the extent of such movement and 'is locked in said seat by a plug or member 10 threadingly connected to a projection 11 which is integral with the head and extends axially thereof Within the coils sl'iring and tothe lug I show a connectorl head of oval the latter relative 'to Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

of the apex ,of the supporting spring Bi ,rearwardly throughthe spring B andA through an opening 15 in the base C and is provided with a hexagonvhead 16 for engaging the rear face of the base. to prevent excessive forward movement of the head relative to the base and for receivinga wrench to apply and remove the plug 10. Abrupt bending and injurious localization of strains in the spring B is prevented by engagement of the walls 17 of the plug with the stem 12 which transmits such strains to the stem and ,frees the spring thereof. A tapered shoulder 18 is l'provided on the plug for expanding the coils of the apex end of the spring into rigid engagen'xent-with the portions 6,7and' l A base C comprising independent members or; halves 19 is provided for supporting the Aautomatic conncc'ztor from a suitable lug 20 of the car. Each of the halves circumferential recess orseat 21 for receiving the base coil of the supporting spring B.' Any suitable means for clamping the members of the .base together about said 20, may be employed. To secure together the lower extremities of the members, I provide one of such members with a perforated ear 22 and the other with a curved finger or projection 23 .whichextends into the perforation of said' ear and embraces a portion of the wall 24 thereof-.-

The upper extremities of the base members are secured together and to the lug 20 by bolts 25, as shown.

,This provides a highly advantageous construction of base in which the base coil of the supporting spring B may be rigidly clamped With the minimum number of parts.

The gripof the members 19 upon the base4 rotary movement of of the spring prevents the base, While the head is held against rotary movement relative to the spring by expanding theapex coils of the latter in the manner previously described.

This construction produces an improved connector having a strong and compact supl port which permits shifting of the head in planes parallel to its face, `to accommodate the rapid vibrations and Whipping movement imparted to coupled heads in service. 

